Mounting strip for lath stays



July 25,1938. F, SMITH T AL 2,124,966

MOUNTING STRIP FOR 'LATH STAYS Filed Feb. 7,. 1938 INVENTORS EARL. F SMITH GUY KENNETH M/JLSON a I V "TTORNEY.

Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES MOUNTING STRIP FOR LATH STAYS Earl F. Smith and Guy Kenneth Wilson, Muncie, Ind., assignors to Midwest Metal Products Company, Muncie, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application February '7, 1938, Serial No. 189,080

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mounting-strips intended to be made fast to the studding to which the wall material such as lath or plaster board is attached.

A mounting-strip to which the present subject matter has especial reference is of that type illustrated in Patent No. 1,258,916 granted to Edward H. Kruse, March 12, 1918, and it consists of a length of sheet metal bent upon itself to U shaped formation in cross section. These strips are arranged and are made fast to the studding in opposed. relation. Between them, and arranged at a right angle thereto, are lathstays. These lath-stays, made of sheet metal, are of open formation to receive the ends of the severed lath, and the ends of each are of flat formation, thus being adapted to be inserted in and to be retained within the space between the parallel sides or legs of the said mounting- 20 strips. The said lath-stays when in place, function to stay or support the ends of the lath. In the open space in the wall, two of the opposite sides of said space are bounded by the ends of the lath, and the other two opposite sides are bounded by the opposed mountingstrips. In this said space the usual switch box or the like may be positioned and there secured.

In the use of a mounting-strip of the above named character, as hitherto devised, a difliculty 30 has been, that the lath-stay members are easily liable to become shifted from the position in which they will have been adjusted. Other disadvantages have been that the mounting-strip has not been of suitable stiffness, and in instances of many installations, the entering of the ends of the lath-stays between the legs of the strip has been rendered inconvenient incident to the lower edges of the strip being pinched too closely together in the nailing of the strip to the studding.

The objects of our invention are to provide a mounting-strip of the kind described, which is of firm and sturdy construction and economical of manufacture, and which at the same time will lend itself to facility in the inserting of the ends of the-lath-stay members. Also, that said new mounting-strip will function to retain the lathstay member firmly against being shifted or dislodged from its adjusted position. 50 The above named objects as well as other and more specific aims of our invention, are accomplished by, and our invention is embodied in the new article of manufacture described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of our improved mounting-strip, a portion of the frontal leg being broken away.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a straight end view of our improved mounting-strip, enlarged, taken in the direction of arrow 3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section view, enlarged, taken on the broken line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section view, enlarged, taken on the broken line 5-5 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a lath-stay member of the conventional form as above referred to.

In the present illustration we show a mounting-strip of conventional size and which is about sixteen and one half inches in length. It consists of a length of sheet metal of suitable gauge, bent upon itself to the U shaped formation in cross section, as shown. One of its sides, and which may be designated as the frontal leg, is so fashioned in cross section, that it embodies a reverse bend or crimp throughout its length, there being thus constituted the longitudinal rib A, and the longitudinal fiared lip B The said rib functions to stiffen the strip, and the lip functions to facilitate the inserting between the sides of the strip, the fiat end portions of the lath-stay member, as of the type shown in Figure 6.

Impressed in the rear leg of the mountingstrip, at suitably spaced locations, are longitudinal indentations which constitute internal ridges C and whose peak portions are of rounded formation. These ridges are located on a line which is parallel with, but at a plane slightly below the plane of the aforesaid rib A. These ridges constitute stops at suitably frequent intervals to prevent any undue slipping or shifting of the lath-stay members which are Coordinated with the said mounting strip.

Perforations D located in alignment adjacent to the peak line of the said strip provide for the use of nails or the like for fastening the strip to the studding. By having the flared lip B there is at all times easy entry space for the inserting of the end portions of the lath-stay members.

Whereas we have illustrated and described our invention matured into what we consider its preferred form of embodiment, it will be understood that minor changes and. modifications may be made in the several inventive features thereof, without departing from the spirit of themvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What we claim as our invention, is:

1. A mounting-strip of the kind described, consisting of a length of sheet metal bent upon itself into U shaped formation in cross section, one leg thereof having a reverse bend therein to constitute a longitudinal rib and a longitudinal flared lip, and there being spaced indentations in the opposite leg of said strip to constitute M interior ridges thereon, substantially as shown and described. 7 V

2. A mounting-strip of "the'kind described,

parallel with and on a plane slightly below the 10 plane of the aforesaid rib.

EARL F. SMITH. KENNETH WILSON. 

